Social studies Flashcards
De government is made up of:
- the ministers
- the stateseceretaries
- the king
The cabinet consists of:
- the ministers
- the stateseceretaries
Ministerial responsibilities:
The king is not accountable for his acties, the ministers are responsible for his actions and for their cabinet.
Ministers:
Someone who has political responsibility for their govern part, the cabinet and the king
State secretaries
They are responsible for a specific division within a ministry.
The council of ministers:
A meeting in which all ministers come together to discuss certain topics and take dictions on behalf of the whole government.
Tasks of the government:
- make laws together with the 1st and 2nd chamber.
- concluding international treaties.
- determining the Nl foreign policies
- arranging the nations defense
- appointing mayors, members of the judiciary and king’s commissioners
A minister without portfolio:
A member who doesn’t head his/her own ministry/department but has a specific policy area.
Tasks of the prime minister:
- responsible for the coordination of the government policy.
- chairs the council of ministers
- serves as the ‘face’’ of the cabinet
- presents the government policy to the outside world
- represents the Netherlands in the council of the EU
- ## plays a major role in the country’s foreign policy.
The states General consists of:
- the first chamber (senate)
- the second chamber (house of representatives)
The second chamber
Consists of 150 members who represent the Dutch inhabitants. They are directly chosen by the people
The first chamber
The first chamber consists of 75 members who are indirectly chosen by the people. The people chose the state provincial and they choose the members of the first chamber.
3 main tasks of the parliament:
- legislative task, propose, review, pass laws
- check the government
- represent the Dutch voters
Rights of the parliament of the co-legislation:
- right to vote
- right of admentment (second chamber)
- right of initiative (second chamber)
- budgetary right
Rights of the parliament to check the cabinet:
- right to question
- right of motion
- right of interpellation
- right of enquiry
Legislative process:
Minister/state secretary proposes law to their own ministry -> discussed in the council of ministers -> council of states -> parliamentary committee -> final report -> second chamber -> first chamber -> the new law is signed by the king and the minister who thought of the law.
Political tasks of the king:
- sign all laws
- read the speech on ‘Prinsjesdag’’
- appointing ministers
- discussing cabinet policies with the prime minister.
Tasks of the provincial government:
- social planning and housing
- management of the environment, nature, water and landscapes
- culture, tourism and employment
- public transport and traffic management
- supervision of the municipalities
The states provincial
An elected assembly for every province. They check the provincial executives, who do the day-to-day administration of the government. The king’s commissioner is the chair person.
Main tasks of the municipal governments:
- recording who lives in the municipality and check documents like passports.
- set out future spacial planning.
- construction of roads and streets
- construction of the public sewer system
- public order and safety
- welfare facilities, education and recreation
The municipal council:
The local government is handled by this council, are connected to a political party.
Municipal executives:
Do the day-to-day administration of the municipality. Each member is signed to a specific policy area.
How many member states does the eu have:
27
To join the EU a country must comply with the EU common values which are:
- the country has to be democratic
- freedom
- equality
- respect the human rights
- rule of law
Respect for human dignity
The history of the EU:
- to prevent a new war, 6 countries started the European Coal and Steel Community France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Luxemburg and Belgium in 1952. In 1958 the name was changed during the treaty of Rome to European Economic Community. In 1993 the name was changed to the EU. Over the years, many more countries joined the EU.
European council:
A meeting in which all the country leaders come together to discuss the main political priorities and overall policy direction.
The European Parliament:
A collective voice of the ordinary people who live in the EU countries. The members of the parliament are chosen by the European citizens every 5 years. It consists of 705 members they are divided by political groups and not by nationality. They approve EU laws.
Council of the EU:
Ministers from all the Eu countries come together to discuss things. Which minister has to come depends on the topic. They approve EU laws together with the EU parliament, and they represent the governemnt of the EU countries.
European commission:
27 commissions come together and they are responsible for the daily running of the EU. They make proposals for EU laws, manages the budget and represents the EU as whole.
The court of justice of the EU:
Ensures that the laws, which are made in the EU are interpreted and evenly applied. consists of one representative/member of each EU country
decides on the interpretation of the EU laws
Things the EU does that effect our daily life:
- easy traveling through the whole EU, Schengen Agreement 1985 Luxemburg.
- The euro, 2002.
- study and work everywhere in the EU
- goods service and capital can move free through the whole EU.
- product and goods safety
- customer rights
- safety online
- quality of telecommunication
- equality and human rights
- work-life balance and quality of life
- protecting the environment and fighting climate change
- EU investments in research
The UN
An international organization founded in 1945 51 countries promised to maintain international peace and security, friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. The organization can take action on a wide range of issues and provide a forum for its 193 member states to express their views in committees.
The 4 main purposes of the UN:
- to keep peace throughout the world
- develop friendly relations among the nations
- To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms.
- To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.
The history of the UN:
1865: The International Telecommunication Union was founded to cooperate about specific matters.
1874: The International Telegraph Union and the Universal Postal Union Was founded.
1899: International peace conference was held in The Hague for settling the crisis peacefully, preventing wars and codifying rules of warfare.
1902: The Permanent Court of Arbitration was established.
1919: The League of Nations was established during the treaty of Versailles with the goal to prevent a war from happening again.
1942: The UN was formed during the second world war to fight together against the axis parties. Founded by the VS president Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1945: The signature page for the UN charter was signed in San Francisco.
On 24th of october 1945 the UN came officially into existence. They signed based on the proposals worked out in 1944, 26th of June made by China, VS, UK and SU in Dumbarton Oaks, United states.
The general assembly:
This assembly consists of 193 member States. It is kinda a parliament of the UN. They come together to discuss the most pressing world problems. Each member state (country) has one vote. Important matters are decided by the two-thirds majority. The assembly can’t force states to take action. They discuss more than 160 topics about the most important matters.
The security council:
has 5 permanent members (China, France, Russia, VS, UK) and 10 non-permanent who are elected by the Assembly for two-year terms. They meet whenever peace is threatened. The adaptation of a council decision requires nine votes in favour. If they have a threat to the peace they first explore ways of reaching agreement by peaceful means. If it comes to a fight they will bring an end to it as soon as possible. It may send peacekeeping forces to supervise a truce and keep opposing forces apart.The 5 permanent members have a Veto, which means that if one of them uses its Veto, they vote against a proposal, the whole proposal will not come through.
The permanent members of the security council can:
Take measures to enforce its decisions.
Impose economic sanctions or an arm embargo
Authorize Member States to take all available means including collective military action to ensure that its decisions are carried out.
Recommends to the General Assembly a candidate for the post of Secretary-General and proposes the admission of new United Nations Member States.
- use their veto
The international court of justice:
Has 15 judges who are elected by the General Assembly and the security council. The international court of justice is the main judicial organ of the UN. The court:
Decides disputes between countries
Gives advisory opinions for the UN and it’s specialized agencies.
